STS 2014: Long-Term Survival After Pediatric Heart Transplants

The Particulars: Research indicates that the average survival rate for adult heart transplant recipients is currently 10 years. Little is known about survival rates among pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Data Breakdown: Researchers from California studied survival rates beyond 15 years among pediatric heart transplant recipients. More than half of study participants (54.3%) survived at least 15 years past their surgery. In these patients, the average ejection fraction was 62.0%. Graft vasculopathy and renal complications were the main factors that limited long-term survival.

Take Home Pearls: More than half of pediatric heart transplant recipients appear to live beyond 15 years after their surgery. These patients appeared to have reasonable cardiac function and quality of life after surgery.